Brownback said that Kansas was a model state—If you can manage a decent job or education—Otherwise we have seen the future and it sucks

Thanks to the Kansas Office of the Governor, I was able to read and comment on Governor Sam Brownback’s State of the State address, January 15.

Brownback made a few references to “Kansas is the heart of America.  Let’s make our place a shining example for the Nation to follow.” He tried several times to make statements that imply that Kansas was a model for the nation to follow.

Brownback said;

“In an era when many believe America has lost its way, Kansans know the difficult path that the Nation must take.”

He talked more than once about the need for Kansans to work hard and sacrifice for the good of the state. For example;

 “It is the well-worn sod tracks of hard work, thrift, patience, perseverance, faith, sacrifice and family that will get us where we want our country to be.”

I agree. Except I really don’t believe Brownback and his cronies are the ones doing any of that hard work or sacrificing anything.

As I have said in Otto’s war room; “Advocates for the poorest Kansas residents say Gov. Sam Brownback's administration is making it tougher for the state's needy to rise out of poverty by cutting much-needed assistance.”

Brownback said;

“Where others choose to raise taxes, we will lower them so our people have more money, not the government.

Where other governments expand, we grow smaller.

Where others choose to grow spending, Kansas grows jobs.”

Also from Otto’s War Room, “Ever since Brownback campaigned for governor in 2010, the conservative Republican has declared that lifting children out of poverty is a priority. But advocates for the poor argue that under Brownback's administration needy residents are being cast adrift and that the coming years will be even worse.”

So it doesn’t look like the poor are going to get jobs as fast as they need them, if they get them at all. They will get less government which actually means if they get have stability and financial trouble, Brownback and his followers just don’t care. They are just going to ignore them and pretend they will just go away.

Brownback said;

“Where some walk away from our Nation’s motto, we embrace it as a part of the pioneering spirit…”In God We Trust.”

That is another way of saying “we don’t need NO atheist or agnostics around this state.”

Kansas has been blessed. 

Although the current drought is harsh, our reservoirs and aquifers continue to give us the water we need.  But now they need attention.  Several of our reservoirs and many of our lakes need dredging from siltation.  The Ogallala Aquifer needs local action to reduce its use and save some of it for future generations.”

As Brownback, realizes that here in Kansas a lot of people just don’t believe things really need to change from century to century. According to them, “The drought and unusually hot weather over the last few years don’t really prove anything, such as climate change, to the narrow and simple minded far-right Republicans that support them.

“Our forefathers and mothers sacrificed to provide for us.  Now we must prepare and in cases, sacrifice so our children and grandchildren will be provided for.  We will go forward by simply doing the right things for our children.

Preparing Children for 21^st Century Careers/Reading/Families

For one, we must reduce childhood poverty.  Trillions of dollars have been spent since President Johnson first declared our country’s war on poverty.   Yet, childhood poverty rates nationwide have remained virtually unchanged at more than 23 percent.  

We need a new strategy.  Kansans intuitively know what the Brookings Institute has reported - that the best way to combat childhood poverty is through effective education, jobs and family.    

A key to a child’s success is the ability to read.

This morning, 40,000 Kansas children woke up, got dressed, and went to kindergarten.  They are the class of 2025.  They are the future of Kansas. 

Being able to read is one of the greatest gifts we can give these children.  Yet – 29 percent of Kansas 4^th graders can’t read at a basic level.  A goal of my administration is to ensure each of the 40,000 kindergartners is able to read proficiently by the time they reach 4^th grade. 

That is why I am proposing the Kansas Reads to Succeed initiative.

Our schools only get 54-cents of every valuable education dollar into the classroom.  This at a time when we put more state money into K-12 per capita than any surrounding state…and when total spending averages more than $12,600 per student per year”.

Brownback was recently ordered to raise the amount of revenue he was spending per pupils in our public schools. A lawsuit was filed in 2010 by attorneys John Robb and Alan Rupe, representing students and school districts, including Dodge City, Hutchinson, Kansas City and Wichita. There main argument was that despite the 2006 Supreme Court order, dropout levels are high and students in general are completing school with less opportunity and less education than the generation before. As a result, districts receive an average of $6,000 to $10,000 per student. But now he seems to believe he can restore Kansas education after he has virtually destroyed with unnecessary budget cuts.

Also from Otto’s War Room;

Another thing being cut is foreign languages. Even though experts are telling us that much of Wichita’s future business is going to be with foreign countries, every right-wing Republican knows that foreign people will learn to…… “speak English like God intended.”

A person can get through high school with only one semester of foreign studies and yet we have a Junior ROTC program in the middle-schools called “leadership class.”

From Wichita Peace and Freedom Party Examiner;

“After spending an afternoon in one of these “leadership classrooms,” at Wichita’s Hamilton Middle School, it becomes obvious that they are misnamed. They should be called military indoctrination class.....
As in high school there is very few classes for the students on foreign culture, in comparison to enfaces on the military killing of people.”

As for as his Kansas Reads to Succeed initiative, language arts skills were cut when the state decided to spend more on science and math. Now they realize that students today are having problems reading. Of course he has a Reading program. He needs one since he messed up so bad on all the other aspects of education.​​ -សតិវអតុ

This is just a look at his education and poverty programs, he has discussed. Other topics will be discussed for other articles in the future.